Variable frictional feed for sawmills



(No Model.) 2'Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. E. DILLARD. VARIABLE FRIOTIONAL FEED FOR SAWMILLS.

Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets'-Sheet 2.

W. E. DILLARD. VARIABLE PRIGTIONAL FEED FOR SAWMILLS.

No. 512,099. Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNN GRAPNING ccMPAmr.

Mrs 'rArns VARIABLE FRICTIONAL FEED FOR SAWMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,099, dated January2, 1894.

Application filed January 31,1898. Serial No. 460,398. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER E. DILLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tappahannock, in the county of Essex and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable FrictionalFeeds for Sawmills; and I do hcrebydeclare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to saw-mill carriages fed by frictional gearing,and its objects are to combine with the adjustable or variable speedregulating friction wheel on the toothed geared shaft which transmitsthe speed tothe toothed geared shaft of the carriage, an adjustable orvariable steam, air or other motlve power-applying friction wheelwhereby the extent of the power can be changed to a greater or lesserextent, while the speed of the carriage is allowed to remain at anydetermined degree, and to accomplish this by the aid of a singlefriction disk having two work- 1ng surfaces, arranged intermediate thetwo friction wheels on shafts parallel with the saw mandrel or shaft.

0 Another object is to simplify the construction and arrangement of themeans employed for effecting the throwing of the friction wheels intodifferent positions for changing the speed; or varying the power withoutchanging from a determined speed for the carriage; or varying the speedof the carriage without changing from a determined degree of steam orother motive power for operating it; and another object is to providevery simple and convenient means for manipulating the parts, so as toinsure their most effective action, and for keeping them in and out ofaction.

My invention will be fully understood in the following specification,claims, and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a plan view of a portion of a saw-millcarriage feed-mechanism illustrating my invention. Fig. 2, is a verticalsection of a portion of the supporting frame, showing a friction wheel,a power transmitting shaft, a pulley, and eccentrics fitted loosely onthe shaft and made adjustable in their bearings. Fig. 3, is a side viewof the parts shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the frame being broken awayto expose certa n adjusting parts, and Fig. 4, is an end View of theparts shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the edge of the saw.

A, in the drawings is the saw-mandrel supporting frame, on which all thefeed regulating mechanism is applied.

B, is the saw-mandrel, and O, the saw. On the mandrel a power receivingpulley D, and a power transmitting pulley E, are applied.

F, is a revolving and sliding shaft arranged on the frame A, at rightangles to the sawmandrel B. On this shaft a large friction disk G,having plain working faces on both sides is fastened. This shaft isconstructed with a collar or shoulder b, and between this collar and thebearing box 0, in which the shaft revolves and slides, a spiral springdis applied having one of its ends bearing against the collar, and itsother end against the box.

By this spring the shaft is caused to slide, and force the disk G,frictionally in contact with a smaller friction wheel H, on a shaft 1,and thereby certainly insure a revolution of this disk G during suchtime as the saw is revolving, and when the feed is stopped.

The shaft I, which carries the smaller friction wheel II, is arrangedforward of the disk G, between the saw-mandrel and the disk; and it isfurnished with a key f, which fits in a key seat of the wheel H, and bythis means the friction wheel H, is allowed to have a sliding movementon the shaft I, and can be set near the axis, or near the periphery ofthe friction disk G, or at any intermediate point, so as to change theamount of leverage, or vary the amount of power transmitted by saiddisk. This shaft I, with its Wheel is geared to the saw-mandrel B, bymeans of a pulley J, on it, the pulley E, on the mandrel and a belt J.On the opposite side of the disk G, another friction wheel H is applied,by means 5 of a key f, and a key seat, to a shaft 1. This latter shaftis provided with a suitable gear as 1 for driving a log carriage, and itis arranged parallel with the shaft I, and mandrel D, of the saw. Thekey extends the whole I00 length of the shaft,- or nearly so, and thefriction wheel can be moved from one side to the other of the disk G, itbeing capable of passing right and left of the shaft F, and thus adaptedto run the feed either right or left, accordingly as required in feedingthe car riage forward and gigging it back.

For moving the wheel H, to a position which will allow of the disk G,maintaining its frictional contact with the wheel H, when the feed isstopped, the shaft I is provided at its ends with eccentrics K, whichare fitted in boxes K of the frame A, and connected to vibrating pendentarms K which are connected by an extensible rod K which rod can belengthened or shortened, as may be necessary, to secure a proper fit andposition of the eccentric, by means of a screw thread and nut, asindicated at K. The eccentrics K, are moved so as to cause the wheel H,to force the disk G, into positive frictional contact with the wheel H,by means of an adjusting turning buckle L, which is attached to a loope, of the extensible rod, and extends along the bottom of the frame A,and attaches to a crank arm g, of a rocking bar M, on one end of whichbar is pivoted a hand lever N, said lever being so pivoted that it maybe moved in the direction of the arrows 1, while it is adapted forrocking the bar in the direction of the arrows 2. The lever N, isconnected to one of a pair of links N, said links being jointed togetherat h, and pivoted respectively to the frame A, and to a collar of thefriction wheel on the shaft 1 as indicated at m and m.

By the construction, arrangement and combination of mechanism described,between the eccentrics which adjust the shaft I toward and from theshaft 1, and the rocking bar M; and between the wheel H and lever N, thewheel H can he slid any distance desired on its shaft, by moving thesaid hand lever N, in either of the directions indicated by the arrows1, and then by moving the lever in the direction of the arrows 2, thefriction wheel H can be moved to a position which will permit the disk Gto slide with its shaft out of contact with the wheel H, as illustratedin Figs. 1 and 3; and to bring the wheel H in contact with the disk G,it is only necessary to reversethe movement of the hand lever.

For shifting the wheel H, on the face of the disk and thereby changingthe length of leverage for receiving and transmitting the power of asteam or other engine, a vibrating bar 0, pivoted to the frame A, isconnected to a collar of the sliding and revolving wheel H, and to thisbar a connecting link 0 is pivoted, said link being pivoted to a crankarm j, of an upright vibrating shaft P, having its bearing in a standardof'the frame. A hand lever P is fastened to this shaft, and said leveris provided with a spring latching lever P which takes into notches ofthe toothed are, P. By moving the lever P, the friction wheel H, can beslid on its shaft either farther from or nearer to the periphery of thefriction disk, and thus the leverage point of ing the saw-carriage, andof its being left comi paratively loose when at rest; this result beingdue to the fact that the pulley J, draws the belt tight when the leverN, 18 ad usted so as to cause the carriage to feed forward, or gig back,and to slacken it when the feed is stopped. The turn buckle connectingrod enables me to adjust the parts so as to compensate for any wear ofthe friction-wheel, and thus the lever can be set so as to remain in anyposition desired, either when at work or rest. By placing the frictionwheel back of the disk, I am enabled to give the disk any speed orrevolution desired; and any change desired can be made even while thesaw is in the log. This is a very important matter, for it often occursthat a lot of small or soft logs requ re to be sawed, in which case, thefeed. and gigging back should be very fast, while on the other hand,when it occurs that a lot of extra heavy tough timber has to be sawed,the feed and gigging back should be very slow.

In my arrangement I have a frictional feed which is changeable to anysize or kind of timber, and in its operation the spring (I on the shaftF, causes the disk G, to follow the friction wheel H, when the disk Histhrown out of gear with the disk G; and thus the disk turns at alltimes that the saw is revolved. The key seating of the two frictionwheels admits of all the necessary adjustments" of these wheels, thewheel H being free to pass from side to side so as to reverse themovement of the carriage.

The leading benefits of my invention result from the combination of twofriction wheels and a single frictional disk having two smooth workingfaces; the tightening of the driving belt, while feeding forward andgigging back, and slackening it while out of work and the simplearrangement of the hand levers and their connections for manipulatingthe mechanism of the frictional feed.

What I claim is- 1. In a variable friction feed for saw mills, thecombination of a shaft F carrying a friction disk G having two plainworking faces; a saw-mandrel, pulleys on the mandrel, said mandrel beingat right angles to the shaft carrying the said disk; a shaft I, frictionwheel H and pulley J on the shaft I; and a shaft I, a friction wheel onshaft I, key seated along the whole length or nearly so of the shaft,and

the two shafts I I, carrying the friction wheels, being at right anglesto the shaft carrying the friction disk F, and the wheel I-I'beingadapted to be brought in contact with the disk G, and the disk G, to bebrought into contact with the wheel H substantially as described.

2. In a variable friction feed for a saw mill, the combination of alongitudinally movable spring yielding shaft F, mounted on the frame Aand carrying a friction disk G having two plain working faces, a shaft Ialso mounted on said frame and carrying a friction wheel H which bearsagainst one side of the disk G, a saw mandrel B carrying a pulley E,said shaft I being at right angles to the shaft which carries the diskG, and the said wheel H being key seated on the shaft I and movabletoward and from the shaft'F, a devlce for adjusting said friction wheelI-I toward or from the shaft F, a feed shaft I carrying a friction wheelH against which the opposite side of the disk G may be brought to bearand which is key seated on said shaft along

